Bangladesh in focus at Seattle South Asian Film Festival

The 11th annual Seattle South Asian Film Festival, that began this Friday, is putting a special focus on Bangladeshi cinema.

The 10-day festival — whose theme is “love wins” —includes 23 feature films and 22 short films from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, being shown at several venues.

Bangladesh will be featured throughout the festival with comedies, dramas, short- and feature-length films. The festival is put on by Tasveer, a nonprofit arts organization focused on igniting conversations on minority oppression, human rights and social-justice issues in South Asia. “With high-profile struggles concerning human rights and social justice in Bangladesh today, we think it is important to provide a platform where Bangladeshis can tell their own stories and dream of the future they will forge for their vibrant, dynamic nation,” said Rita Meher, Tasveer co-founder and executive director.

On October 20, the festival's centerpiece gala will highlight the critically acclaimed Bangladeshi film “Pipra Bidya” (“Ant Story”) directed by Mostofa Sarwar Farooki. Farooki will also be honoured with the Tasveer Emerald Award for his contributions to South Asian cinema. He will attend the reception after the screening of his film.

The festival opened with “Aynabaji”, the film that has taken the Dhaka film scene by storm since its release last month. Chanchal Chowdhury, who plays the lead in the film, is attending the festival.

Source: Seattle Times